THE BUPRESTnXZE. 245 



of the LameUicomes, and, consequently, possess the 

 fewest of the typical characters. Their external aspect 

 is sufficient, at once, to prevent their being confounded 

 with any other group : it is, in fact, so peculiar,, that 

 none but an entomologist would detect their affinity to 

 the floral beetles. The body is remarkably long, and, 

 generally, very narrow behind ; while the head and 

 thorax are short, the former being remarkably obtuse 

 and broad. The tarsi have, generally, five distinct 

 joints ; but, then, they are often so dilated, as to appear, 

 at first sight, similar to those of the Curculionidce and 

 other tetramerous genera : in some of the African 

 types of Buprestis, there appear to be only four tarsal 

 joints ; the fifth, or claw joint, being so small as to be 

 nearly hid under the penultimate one. In truth, how- 

 ever, the variations are so great in this single sub- 

 family, that no stress can be laid on these characters, 

 drawn from these parts only, for defining the whole. 

 It may be a question whether the Buprestis or the 

 Elater are the pre-eminent type of this family ; for, 

 although abundantly distinct, they are yet most inti- 

 mately united. The first, however, is by far the most 

 numerous both in species and in forms ; and, as this 

 is almost universally the case in groups pre-eminently 

 typical, we are disposed to consider the sub-family 

 Buprestince in this light. They are the most richly 

 coloured, as a whole, of all the tribe. But, here, 

 almost every indication of lamellicorn antennae dis- 

 appear : some large and fine species of Elater , indeed, 

 have these organs fan-shaped, or flabelliform ; but, in 

 no case, are they angulated, as if broken, similar to the 

 other lamellicorn families. These two typical groups 

 present as great a diversity, in their respective colours, 

 as the Lucanince and the Lamprimince. The Bupres- 

 tince, with very few exceptions, are richly glossed with 

 metallic shades of green and blue ; while the Elaterinte 

 are almost universally devoid of any bright colours. 

 The peculiar powers of leaping, possessed by these 

 latter insects, when laid upon their backs, is without 

 B 3 



